


So Heavy in Your Arms

by theangryuniverse



Series: Lord Nikiforov takes a Mate [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Historical, Arranged Marriage, Day 4: Arranged Marriage/Marriage of Convenience, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Fluff and Smut, He just does not know it yet, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Linisen made me do it, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Regency, Romance, Victor is a fool in love, Victorian, Wedding Night, Wedding night gone wrong, YOI Regency Week 2020, intersex omega
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:42:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24055372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theangryuniverse/pseuds/theangryuniverse
Summary: The first time Victor and Yuuri meet, it is their wedding day.Never has Yuuri been so scared.Never has Victor been more hopeful.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Series: Lord Nikiforov takes a Mate [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741048
Comments: 42
Kudos: 676
Collections: YOI REGENCY WEEK





	So Heavy in Your Arms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Linisen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linisen/gifts), [EmHunter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmHunter/gifts), [FrozenBrownie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenBrownie/gifts).



> At first, I did not want to write a oneshot for YOI Regency Week, but then it came over me. These things tend to happen. 
> 
> This one is for three very special people:  
> For FrozenBrownie, who has helped me so much with her knowledge about Victorian customs.  
> For EmHunter, at whom I can yell day and night about my favourite boys.  
> For Linisen, who is a literal angel.
> 
> Enjoy.

The first time Victor and Yuuri meet, it is their wedding day.

It is the talk of the town, and has been for weeks. For season after season, London’s high society has speculated on who would win the hand of the most sought-after bachelor that is Victor Nikiforov, on who would be the luckiest of brides. There is no doubt that the man is an excellent match, for he is the eldest son and heir of an old and noble family. Furthermore, the alpha is handsome and well-educated, his manners impeccable and his heart and nature said to be kind and gentle.

And so, it has come as a shock to London’s rich and carefree to read of a most unusual engagement in their morning paper, announcing the betrothal between the young Lord Nikiforov and the hitherto unknown Yuuri Katsuki, ward of the Lady Minako Okukawa.

No one knows it is an even greater shock to the young men in question, for they have never met before, and first lay eyes on each other on their wedding day.

Yuuri knows that it was merely a question of time before Minako would find him a husband, someone that would take care of him and save his family from ruin. For this is a marriage of convenience, nothing more, and he has a duty to fulfil. His father’s sudden death has left the family in debt, and with his mother sick and his sister taking care of her, the heavy weight of duty has been resting on his shoulders ever since.

An omega is to be married. There is no other path of them in life.

And his marriage in particular will save his mother and sister from living in poverty.

Victor knows that, being the eldest son and heir, he has no say in the matter that is his marriage. He has felt his mother’s ever-watchful eyes on him, felt his father’s guiding hand from the moment he has presented, all in the hope of finding him a good match. Of course, they would not be satisfied with simply anyone, and there are far too many upstarts in society for their taste. Yes, Victor knows that his mother and father have clear expectations for the one he will marry, for the one that will bear their grandchildren the next heir in line.

An impeccable reputation is a must.

But the families of all the young omega ladies and gentlemen in their social circles are like vultures seeking for prey, all of them with their very own interests in mind. Countless possible matches have been discarded quickly after taking a closer look at their families. Only once has Victor had reason to believe that he would soon be married, for his parents had taken up negotiations with a well-known family from Edinburgh, business partners to Victor’s father. But this match also has not been followed through either, and Victor had begun whether he would ever be married.

He has had his fair share of whirlwind romances, has lived the fantasies of stolen glances and secret kisses, only to find himself disappointed over and over again. It is not him they care for, but his family name and his father’s fortune.

It saddens him every time he thinks of it, but Victor knows that a marriage of convenience is as got as it will ever get.

And so, he has merely nodded at his father’s announcement that he is soon to be married. He has never heard his betrothed’s name before, yes, has never even met him before. He only knows that he is the ward of the Lady Minako, a woman he has met a few times, and has fond memories of. A distant relative of hers, his mother has told him, and his betrothed’s late father an old friend of his own sire.

Not only a marriage of convenience, but a marriage of sympathy.

There are worse reasons to marry, Victor thinks as he adjusts his tailcoat once more and checks his reflection in the mirror, taking a deep breath.

Today, it is his wedding day, and his heart is heavy.

For Yuuri, the day has begun with tears. He is homesick, his mother too ill to attend what is to be the most important day of his life. His sister must stay with her, and so, he is alone. Only Minako is with him, holding his hand as they sit in the carriage that brings them to the chapel where is to be wed to a man he has never met before, but who will save his family from ruin, from poverty and hunger. His gown is of a rich, midnight blue, ornamented with lace, and has been a gift from Minako. His own family is too poor to afford such a luxury, but on his wedding day, he has to make a good impression.

Impressions are everything.

Minako is an old friend of the family, a rich widow, having lost her husband to illness many years ago. With his money, she has led a relatively independent life, with no children to call her own. Yuuri has been living with her for almost two years, learning from her what it takes to be a grand dame of society. Only with the right education, he will find a good match – that she has repeatedly told him. And yet, the proposal has been a complete surprise, which Minako has accepted on the spot.

Yuuri only knows his betrothed’s name, but has never seen his picture.

“Stop fidgeting, dear,” Minako says softly and squeezes his hand, the gloves he wears made of the loveliest lace. Another small fortune, spent to make sure he has a successful start into the future.

Yuuri tries his best to put on a smile. He does not want to appear ungrateful to Minako, who has treated him as if he were her son, and with nothing but kindness. It is thanks to her that his mother and sister will continue to live comfortably. The price he has to pay in exchange is high, but Yuuri has never complained.

His father would be happy, he thinks, to see him wed so exceptionally well.

The bells of the chapel begin to ring as their carriage comes to a halt, and Yuuri holds his breath. Minako is the first to exit the carriage, always being her own man, and holds up her hand to help Yuuri out. He trembles as he steps out onto the pavement, the bells too loud, the people too many, all of it is too much for him.

But Minako is there, and she gently cups his cheeks, and kisses his forehead. “To the most fortunate,” she says before she brings the veil over his face. Yuuri bows his head.

The chapel is full that day, for the Nikiforov family is large, and has many friends. Many guests have been invited because the protocol demands it, and truly, it is the wedding of the year. None of this matters to the bride, and neither to the groom, who stands by the altar and faces the cross, his hands clasped in silent prayer. Only as the clergyman before him nods and steps forward, Victor turns to accept his bride, taking the hand that the Lady Minako places in his palm.

A pair of intelligent, brown eyes looks up at him, and Victor holds his breath, just before his betrothed averts his gaze again, as if ashamed. But Victor feels himself blush, and can see the reddening on his bride’s cheeks as well, despite the veil that hides his face from view. Victor swallows thickly as he gently lifts the veil and pushes it back, and his heart beats fast in his chest at the sight of the gift that the Lord has bestowed on him.

Yuuri, his bride, is breathtakingly beautiful.

“Dear congregation,” the clergyman begins, and Victor has to muster all his strength to take his eyes off his bride. “We have gathered here today to witness the union of Yuuri Katsuki and Victor Nikiforov. Marriage is a holy institution, given to man by God Himself.”

Neither Victor nor Yuuri are truly listening, for their hearts are beating too fast, locking out the world.

“Christ said that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church. And therefore, may the Lord bless this holy union, and guide them on their way to happiness.”

Pages are turned and the organ begins to play, the sound of singing filling the chapel. Victor only then dares to catch a glimpse of his bride that stands beside him. Yuuri’s head is bowed, his lips moving, but no sound comes over his lips as he sings. But his hand is still in Victor’s palm, their gloved fingers intertwined, and Victor gives it a soft squeeze.

Yuuri lifts his gaze and looks at him, his eyes wide in wonder. If this were a different day, a different time, Victor is sure that he would have sought him out in a crowd, and Yuuri is sure that if he were to picture an ideal husband, it would be Victor’s likeness. For his gaze is warm, and his touch is gentle, and just for this moment, the omega dares to hope.

But the song ends too soon, and reality comes back, and reminds them of their place.

Yuuri looks away, and the clergyman steps forward to take their hands for what is the holiest part of the ceremony.

“You may now speak your vows,” the clergyman says, and Victor looks at his bridge, his heart fluttering as he says the vows that will destine his life.

“I, Victor, take thee, Yuuri, to be my wedded Husband,” he says, his voice hoarse for reasons he does not understand, his knees weak and his heart in turmoil. “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”

People would later say that Yuuri looked faint in that moment, and that his voice had been barely audible, even for those sitting the closest to the pair. But Victor hears him, and his heart rejoices at the sound of the omega’s voice.

“I, Yuuri, t-take thee, Victor, to be my wedded Husband, t-to have and to hold from this day forward, for b-better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, t-to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, a-according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.”

The ring is presented, and Victor takes it, carefully placing it on Yuuri’s gloved finger.

“With this Ring I thee wed,” he says softly, looking into Yuuri’s eyes that shine in hesitant anticipation. “With my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

“Amen,” Yuuri whispers.

For a moment, the world seems to stop turning.

The clergyman smiles. “May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared before the Church and graciously bring to fulfilment his blessings within you. What God has joined, let no one put asunder. May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God who joined together our first parents in paradise, strength and bless in Christ the consent you have declared before the Church, so that what God joins together, no one may put asunder.”

They look at each other, the rest of the world no longer of any importance to them. Even as the congregation sings again, they cannot look away from each other, and they do not even want to. Only as it is time to sign the parish register in the vestry do they look away. Yuuri’s hands are shaking as he signs with the name of his family, for the very last time in his life, right below Victor’s.

Minako is the first to leave the church, followed by Victor’s parents, and only then, the bride and groom. From now on, Yuuri knows, he will be Victor’s husband. Nuts are thrown as they step out into the sunlight, a symbol of fertility. He holds onto Victor’s arm, putting on a brave smile as people he does not know congratulate them. The urge to run away, to hide away from the world is strong, but he fights against it.

Victor’s presence is enough to make him stay.

* * *

The luncheon is held in what is to be Yuuri’s home from now on – a mansion in the heart of Mayfair, grand and luxurious, with a garden and near a beautiful park. Of course, Victor would have a house of his own already, as a member of the House of Lords, and no longer live with his parents. The servants have outdone themselves under the gentle guidance of Victor’s mother, the house ornamented with flowers and colourful ribbons to celebrate the happy day. The cook has created a small masterpiece for their luncheon, from the light soup over the main course to the raspberry cream that is being served for dessert. The conversations are light, as one would expect on such a day, celebrating the newly formed union.

At the head of the table sit the newlyweds, both bride and groom being showered in the attention of family and friends. Yuuri hardly knows anyone in London, let alone in its high society except for Minako. But Victor is acquainted with them all, and as it seems, so much better at making conversation than he is. No one misses the blush that appears on Yuuri’s cheeks whenever he is being spoken to, and how endearing he looks whenever he casts down his eyes, the epitome of the abashed, yet happy young mate. He wishes he could be braver, and not as shy.

Victor is the more versed of the two when it comes to the countless hidden rules of society, and Yuuri is glad he can leave the majority of conversations to him. Every now and then, their eyes will meet, and Yuuri will find warmth and encouragement in his husband’s eyes before the next person begins to congratulate them, and their moment is gone.

Tea and cake in the mansion’s garden follow the luncheon, giving Yuuri the opportunity to see more of what is to be his home. The garden is not too big, not like the parks of the estates he has visited together with Minako, but it is a lovely place of refuge nonetheless. Yuuri is at Minako’s side, the woman fussing over him like a happy mother hen, and Yuuri is once more reminded of the fact that of his own family, no one was able to come. Victor’s family is lovely, and his mother and father in law have nothing but kind words for him, but it cannot ease his sadness. He knows he should not be sad on his wedding day, the day destined to be the happiest of his life, but he longs for his mother’s comfort.

“Take my handkerchief.”

Yuuri looks up, only to find his husband offering him a pristine white handkerchief with his initials. Victor gives him a small smile, and only then does Yuuri realise that he has been crying.

He murmurs a thank-you and takes the handkerchief, dabbing his eyes. And then, he pulls himself together and puts on the brave smile that has brought him through the ceremony as he stands at his husband’s side and listens to the well-meaning words of the wedding guests.

His hand rests on Victor’s arm, and Victor’s hand never leaves his own.

Later, the people present that day would describe them as the most handsome couple they have ever seen, none of them aware of the feelings contained behind the perfect façade. Never has Victor felt a greater urge than to take the omega and hide him away from the world, away from the prying, hungry eyes of society. He knows almost nothing about the man that he will from now on spend the rest of his life with, but the longer he looks at him, the bigger the desire to truly know him becomes. Every time their eyes meet, Victor can feel his heart skip a beat, and every time he sees Yuuri blush, he is sure that he himself is blushing, too. Never before has the presence of an omega had such an effect on him, and Victor wonders if the fact that he is now married is the only reason to blame. 

Never before has he been at such a loss for words.

The celebrations continue well into the evening until the first guests begin to leave, but not without wishing them only the best for their upcoming honeymoon. Victor has decided that they would not leave for the continent right away but spend a night or two in their home, and then begin their honeymoon without the usual hectic arrangements. By the time their evening comes to an end, Victor finds himself in a conversation with his cousin, and on the other side of the drawing room his bride, sandwiched between the Lady Minako and Victor’s mother.

Eventually, it is Victor’s father who clears his throat, and puts out his cigar in an ashtray. “I believe it is now high time for us to retreat to our own homes again,” he says, and exchanges a meaningful glance with his wife.

“Indeed,” Lady Minako says and rises as well, Yuuri’s hand in hers as she pulls him up from the settee.

It is like this that they are separated, Victor staying behind as Minako takes Yuuri upstairs to the bedroom. Everything in it is of the finest quality, Yuuri notices as he looks around. From the marble fireplace to his left, over the plush chaise longue by the window, to the four-poster bed to his right. He is quiet as the maid closes the door behind them and comes to help Minako, who has begun to unlace first his gown at the back, then his corset, freeing him from the clothing that suddenly feels far too restricting. The dress is being taken away, replaced with a nightgown made of the finest linen and lace, and around his shoulders comes a dressing gown to keep him warm. The maid leaves them, wishing them both a good night, and Minako guides Yuuri to the dressing table to brush his hair.

Minako smiles at him through the mirror. “It was a lovely day, was it not?” She asks. “Your mother and father in law seemed very pleased. Not to mention your husband. I don’t think I have ever seen a man so smitten.”

Yuuri avoids to meet her gaze. “I suppose so,” he murmurs, nervously fidgeting with his hands on his lap.

Minako pauses in her task, gently putting her hands on his shoulders, for Yuuri has begun to tremble, and it worries her. She gives his shoulders a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “It is always a little chilly in London at night,” she says. “But it is very beautiful here during the day.”

Yuuri swallows thickly. “I’m not trembling because I’m cold.”

Minako nods softly. “I know,” she says.

She resumes her task, carefully brushing Yuuri’s dark hair of which he has always said it were one of his greatest assets. “The first time is always painful,” she says softly, and as an omega, she knows what he is talking about. “But you must not fear. Lie back and think of England when you do your duty. Your husband will know what to do. Do you understand?”

Yuuri manages a small nod, still wringing his hands on his lap, and he pulls his dressing gown closer around himself. It is an omega’s duty to lie with his alpha, to bear his children and build a home. A good omega, Yuuri has learnt, will not complain nor ever refuse, and trust their alpha’s judgement in terms of marital relations.

“Good.” Minako continues to brush his hair until it is like silk to the touch, and readjusts his nightgown once more before she sighs. Yuuri looks up, finding the woman that is almost like a mother to him almost in tears.

“Your father would be proud to see you wed so exceptionally well,” she says and kisses his hair. “And so is your mother.”

Yuuri cannot find the words to express what he feels, but he knows that Minako understands him nonetheless.

“I shall see you tomorrow morning,” she says and gives him a final kiss. “Good night, Yuuri.”

“Good night,” he says, watching her leave, until the door falls shut.

There are candles lit in the bedroom that he is to call his own from now on, bathing it in a warm, golden light. Yuuri shivers and gets up, moving to the fireplace to warm himself, all so he does not have to see the bed where he will give himself to his husband later that night. He has seen the pristine white towel that is supposed to catch the proof of his virtue tonight. The mere thought frightens him, so he pushes it aside as best as he can.

It does not take long until there is a soft knock, and the sound of the door being opened. Yuuri turns around, just as Victor comes in. He is dressed in a burgundy dressing gown, on his feet a pair of slippers, and Yuuri can see the hem of a shift peek out by his collarbone.

For the first time, they are alone, and Yuuri realises that he does not even know what to say to his husband. He swallows thickly, just as Victor closes the distance between them and joins him by the fireplace.

His smile is gentle as he takes Yuuri’s hands, and kisses his knuckles. “Yuuri.”

Victor’s voice is soft, like velvet, and Yuuri shivers under his touch, blushing as the man he is to call his husband from now on keeps smiling at him, as if he were the happiest man in the world.

“How I longed to finally speak to you in private,” he says quietly, still holding Yuuri’s hands. “I hope that you enjoyed the day.”

Yuuri manages to give him a shy nod. “I did,” he says, meeting the alpha’s gaze. It feels strange, almost scandalous, to be alone with him, in nothing but his sleeping garments, his ankles on display.

“May I say that you looked very pretty in your gown today?” Victor says, and a blush appears on his pale cheeks. “The colour suited you so well.”

“Thank you,” Yuuri says, and he feels the heat rising in his belly at the compliment. “It was a gift.”

Now that he looks at him in the warm light of the flames, Yuuri realises how handsome the alpha truly is. His hair is so fair that it is almost the colour of the moon, and his eyes shine in a blue so bright that Yuuri cannot help but admire them in awe. In them, he finds kindness and warmth, but also anxiety and worry, and Yuuri wonders if his husband is as nervous as he is.

“I supervised the making of your bedroom myself,” Victor says, still smiling. “I hope it is to your liking.”

Yuuri nods, briefly glancing around in the room, the sheer luxury of it truly not leaving any reason to complain.

“I’m glad,” Victor says and kisses his hands again, the mere gesture making Yuuri’s heart flutter. “Is there anything you need? Anything that I could have brought up for you now? A glass of water, perhaps?”

But Yuuri shakes his head, and it seems that they have run out of reasons to stay where they are, for Victor nervously clears his throat. “Well, shall we… shall we go to bed, then?”

It is only then that Yuuri realises that Victor is waiting for him to consent, that he is not simply being pulled along, or carried, even. Victor’s patience seems endless, for Yuuri stares, and stares, and can barely soothe his racing heart.

“Y-Yes,” he murmurs and casts down his eyes.

Victor lets go of his hands, and Yuuri believes to feel a last, reassuring squeeze before Victor’s hands leave him. The way to the bed feels endless to them both.

Victor has been told what to do by his father – not that he is inexperienced by any means. But there is a difference, his father has told him, a very clear difference between sharing the bed with one’s spouse and enjoying a good time with a lady of the craft. Not that Victor would ever dare to see Yuuri in such a light. But he is nervous, far more nervous than he has thought he would be as he takes off his dressing gown. His mate is even more hesitant, slowly taking off his own dressing gown and folding it neatly before leaving it on the chair nearby and climbing into bed. Victor joins him there, and for a moment, they awkwardly sit side by side, facing each other, and Victor knows he should be the one to guide his mate.

“Perhaps we should…” He clears his throat, gesturing helplessly at the space between them. “Perhaps you… lie down and I…”

“Y-Yes…” Yuuri murmurs and slowly moves further down the mattress to rest on the towel the maid has put there, resting his head on the pillow between them so that Victor can climb on top of him.

“Oh God, I’m sorry,” the alpha rushes to say as he accidentally traps Yuuri’s sleeve under his palm. Navigating in the dark under a heavy eiderdown blanket turns out to be more complicated than he has thought. “Did I crush your hand?”

Yuuri merely shakes his head, freeing his sleeve from Victor’s accidental grasp and resting his arm to his side, taking a deep breath. Victor tries to be more careful as he tries to find the best position, his legs feeling suddenly far too long for a bed that is meant for two people. And there are Yuuri’s legs, too, and his feet, right where he thinks he should probably kneel.

“Can you… I mean…” Victor feels like an idiot as he tries to put into words what he means, but Yuuri seems to understand, moving his feet out of the way so that Victor can—

“Goodness!” Victor exclaims in surprise as something cold touches his thighs, and he realises that it is Yuuri’s feet that are so cold. “You must be freezing! Do you need a hot water bottle?

“No, no! I’m fine!” Yuuri squeaks and immediately pulls up his legs. “Oh God, I’m so sorry…”

“It is alright!” Victor assures him quickly, not wanting his mate to be in unnecessary distress and instinctively reaches out to rub Yuuri’s arm. “We do have all the time in the world, yes?”

The omega nods, but avoids looking at him, his cheeks and ears pink in utter embarrassment. If their current situation were a different one, Victor would have showered him in the loveliest compliments – but he is sure that doing so right now would only fluster Yuuri further.

“Right…” Victor murmurs, taking a deep breath before he continues with his task of finding the right position, shuffling around on the mattress to settle between his husband’s legs. “Perhaps… like this?” He puts his hand on Yuuri’s knee, but now, Yuuri’s nightgown is between them, and Victor tries to move it up the omega’s thigh and out of the way. “Could you, possibly, lift your— yes, then—no, I mean, if you put your hand up there and—” Suddenly, Victor’s hand slips on the smooth blanket and he loses his balance, falling onto Yuuri’s chest with his full weight. Yuuri gasps in shock and coughs as the air is knocked out of his lungs, and Victor is back on his knees in an instant.

“Oh my God, I am terribly sorry!” He exclaims. “Are you alright?”

Yuuri coughs and tries to sit up, but he is trapped underneath Victor, who has to reach out and pull his husband into a sitting position.

“Let me fetch you some water,” Victor says in panic as he climbs out of bed and rushes to the small table by the chaise longue, where a maid has left a carafe with water and two glasses for them. In an instant, he is back at Yuuri’s side, who is still coughing softly, but fortunately, he accepts the glass – albeit without looking at him – and takes a few small sips. Victor sinks down beside him on the mattress, his heart still rapidly beating in his chest from all the upheaval.

He dares not to say a word as Yuuri calms down, his husband gripping the glass in his hands so tightly that Victor fears that it might burst. But Yuuri keep taking small sips, until the glass is empty and he sets it aside, shifting awkwardly on the mattress.

Victor looks down at his lap and sighs. “We are rather awful at this, it seems.”

Yuuri blinks, and as Victor looks up again, he finds his young mate looking at him incredulously.

And then, as if someone had turned over a switch, they begin to chuckle softly. Yuuri laughs quietly, and his eyes are shining, and Victor’s heart aches at the sight, for Yuuri’s face as it is now is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. It is as if all the tension, all the stress of the past hours is falling from their shoulders, leaving them bare before one another.

“Oh my…” Victor chuckles as they calm down again and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I truly did not mean for this to go so horribly wrong. Please forgive me.”

“It… it is alright,” Yuuri says quietly, his hands fidgeting with the duvet. “I’m not very good at this either.”

There is a faint blush on his cheeks, and for the first time, Yuuri does actually meet his gaze.

“I should be the one to guide you,” Victor says softly. “And I do think we may say that I just failed spectacularly.”

Yuuri tilts his head a little to the side, as if thinking about what to say to that.

“It… certainly went wrong at some point,” he replies eventually, but there is a small smile on his face.

Victor wants to kiss it.

“Perhaps we should talk first,” the alpha suggests. “I would like to know more about you. And you can ask me everything you like. What do you think?”

Yuuri frowns, as if not sure whether to believe him or not. “S-sure,” he says softly and clasps his hands on top of the duvet.

“Splendid,” Victor says. “What is your favourite colour?”

Yuuri blinks, clearly not having expected that as the first question. “My favourite colour?”

“Well, yes,” Victor smiles. “I would love to know that.”

Yuuri blushes. “I… I think my favourite colour is blue.”

“Blue.” Victor repeats and nods. “Mine is red, I think. Or rather, burgundy.”

“Like your dressing gown?” Yuuri asks softly, and Victor is delighted that he does so.

“Yes, like my dressing gown,” he confirms with a smile. “May… May I?”

He gestures at the empty spot beside Yuuri, and his husband nods, immediately shuffling aside to make space for Victor. Together, they move back under the eiderdown duvet, leaning back against the propped-up pillows. It is much better like this, Victor finds, to simply sit beside each other, to learn about each other. The light of the fireplace caresses Yuuri’s face, and not for the first time that night, Victor realises how breathtakingly beautiful his husband is.

“How come I have never seen you at a ball or soiree?” Victor asks then. “For I am sure you would have stood out to me.”

Yuuri looks flustered. “I… I did not grow up in London,” he answers quietly. “My family lived… lives in Edinburgh.”

“I see,” Victor says. “So you lived with Lady Minako. I assume that you are related?”

Yuuri shakes his head. “She is an old friend of the family,” he replies. “My… my father and her late husband knew each other well.”

“Just like our fathers knew each other, it seems,” Victor says with a small smile, and Yuuri gives a shy nod. “Your mother could not come today, I was told. And neither could your sister.”

Yuuri shakes his head. “My mother is very sick,” he says. “My sister takes care of her.”

“It saddens me to hear that,” Victor says, and it truly does. No one should have to celebrate their wedding without their loved ones. “Is it… is it very bad?” He is not sure whether it is his place to ask such a question, for the last thing he wants is to upset Yuuri even more. But if he wants to be a good husband – and that is his goal – he should know of the things that might upset his mate, and know more about his family.

“It… it is sometimes better, and sometimes worse,” Yuuri explains, and Victor can tell that it troubles the omega a lot. “But she cannot travel. The doctor forbade it. And we have little money, and no means to pay for a nurse to care for my mother just so that my sister could attend a wedding in London…”

One look at Yuuri’s face is enough to tell Victor that the omega misses his family very much, and even more so do the tears that suddenly roll down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri sniffs and immediately tries to hide his tears. Victor wordlessly reaches for the handkerchief a maid has left on the bedside table, clearly intended for a different purpose that night, but he could not care less. Yuuri murmurs a small thankyou, taking it and dabbing his eyes. “It’s just… I have not seen them in almost a year. And I had to leave Vicchan behind…”

“Who is Vicchan?” Victor asks with a small frown, and Yuuri blushes, crumpling the handkerchief in his palm, averting his gaze.

“My dog,” he murmurs, as if afraid to admit that he misses a pet.

But in Victor, he could not have found a more understanding person.

“Yuuri,” he says. “If I had to leave my Makkachin behind and get married on the other side of the country, I would be devastated.”

Yuuri sniffs and looks up, confusion clear on his face. “Makkachin?”

“My dog!” Victor says and begins to smile. “She’s a poodle, the most beautiful girl you have ever seen.”

“You have a dog?” Yuuri asks weakly, and Victor nods excitedly.

“I had her kept in the kitchens today, for Mama insisted on it, fearing that she would knock over the guests and run into the cake,” he says and gets out of bed, grabbing his dressing gown and putting on his slippers. “You must meet her! Let me fetch her, yes?”

He is out of the door before Yuuri can even open his mouth.

Yuuri dabs his eyes and takes a few deep breaths, wondering if this is merely a jest, or if his husband is actually going to introduce him to a dog when they should be doing very different things. After all, this is their wedding night. But Yuuri learns that his husband very much means it, for the alpha returns merely minutes later, opening the door with one hand, holding onto the collar of a poodle with the other.

“Now here we are! Yuuri, meet the only woman in my life, my Makkach—Makka, no!”

The poodle has escaped her master’s grasp and thrown herself onto the bed, her tail wagging as she greets the new person in the house with wet dog kisses.

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry!” Victor exclaims and rushes to pull the dog off the bed. “Makkachin! What did we say about jumping on new friends? Yuuri, are you alright? Did she crush you?”

But as he looks down, he finds the omega smiling, his eyes shining in wonder and adoration as he pets the dog that has been Victor’s companion for so many years now. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Makkachin,” he says, and his smile almost makes Victor’s heart burst.

Makkachin lets out a soft bark and Victor barely manages to pull her away from Yuuri before she can drool all over his face and over their bed.

“That’s enough now, Makka,” he says with a chuckle and takes her by the collar, guiding her to the hidden door that connects Yuuri’s bedroom with the one next door. “Off you go, darling.” He gives her a gentle pat before he releases her into his own bedroom and shuts the door behind her. She will have the big bed all to herself tonight, the lucky girl.

Yuuri’s posture is far more relaxed as Victor returns to the bed, and he no longer seems shy about looking at him.

“She is wonderful,” Yuuri says once Victor has settled down beside him. “My Vicchan is a poodle, too. But he is much smaller.”

“Why did you not bring him with you?” Victor asks, and Yuuri suddenly looks sad again.

“I was told it would be improper to bring a childhood pet with me into the marriage,” he explains, and Victor is sure he has never heard something more untrue.

“That is ridiculous,” he says, shaking his head. But now that he knows it, he realises that Yuuri has had to leave so many things behind – not just his home, but also his mother and sister, and a pet that most likely means the world to him, if he is anything like Victor in regards to Makkachin.

All for the sake of alleged propriety.

“I believe that we ought to make a change of plans,” Victor says then. “We shall go to Edinburgh first, visit your family and take dear Vicchan with us. I am sure Makkachin will be delighted to have a new playmate. The continent can wait.”

Yuuri stares at him.

“We… we are going to visit my family?” He asks quietly, and his brown eyes suddenly fill with tears again. But this time, they flow freely, and Victor, always the most helpless when someone before him begins to cry, hardly knows what to do.

“Did I say something wrong?” He asks worriedly, but Yuuri shakes his head.

“I am just… overwhelmed, that is all,” Yuuri says with a small smile, and dabs his eyes again. “I do not understand why you would do such kind thing for me.”

“Why would I not?” Victor asks with a frown. “I want you to be happy with me. And I am not ashamed to admit that I find our match most delightful. Do you not?”

Yuuri is very, very quiet after that, and Victor fears that he has said to much. But none of it was a lie. He truly feels comfortable around Yuuri, finds his company most delightful, and he is sure that once they have gotten to know each other better, they will be very happy. Yes, even in love, if the ache in his heart is anything worth listening to. Victor is sure that Yuuri can feel it, too.

“I know I’m… different,” Yuuri murmurs nervously, averting his gaze. “I’m shy and awkward and I never know what to say when someone approaches me. I am helpless at making conversation with strangers, and the mere thought of them frightens me so…” He swallows thickly. “I’m sorry. You surely don’t want to be married to someone that is like me.”

But Victor takes his hand and intertwines their fingers, carefully so, like a thread through the eye of a needle. “Different is good,” he says quietly and gives Yuuri’s hand a squeeze.

There truly are worse things to discover about one’s partner in Victor’s eyes, and all the things he has learnt about Yuuri so far, he finds most delightful. Yuuri is soft-spoken and kind, he loves dogs and Makkachin loves him, and he cares deeply for his mother and sister. Yuuri is lovely, and Victor yearns to learn more about him, learn everything there is to know about him.

“Why did you agree to marry me?” Yuuri asks then, looking up at Victor through the most gorgeous of eyelashes. “I mean… you surely could have had anyone. B-Because of your family name!” He adds immediately and looks flustered once more, and Victor is sure that very soon, the blush on Yuuri’s face will be the death of him. “You must surely have had lots of offers…”

“I did,” Victor admits. “But every time I thought someone cared about me, I realised that they… well, their families, only wanted my family’s money and influence. I knew that I had little say in the matter of my marriage, but I wanted to be seen as more than just my father’s son. The more potential partners I met, the more I realised that I was not in the position to hope for that.” Victor pinches the bridge of his nose at the memory of people viewing him like a trophy to win. “Fortunately, my mother and father understood, and when they told me that I was to marry you, that our fathers had been good friends and our marriage would help your family, I was… relieved.”

Victor feel almost ashamed to admit that these were his reasons – he has always imagined something incredibly romantic, of spotting his future mate on the other side of the ballroom and feeling drawn to them immediately.

Reality has turned out to be very different.

“I was relieved, too,” Yuuri says softly. “Minako said that our families had been acquainted for a long time, and that yours wanted to help mine. All I could think of was my mother and my sister, that they would no longer have to fear living in poverty.”

“You did not think of yourself at all,” Victor says in realisation, and Yuuri shakes his head.

“I’m an omega,” he says weakly. “What else was I to do?”

Yuuri has made far bigger sacrifices than him, Victor realises, all so that his mother and sister would not have to suffer. It is one thing for an alpha to enter an arranged marriage, but for an omega, essentially penniless and dependent on other people’s mercy – Victor does not even dare to imagine what that must feel like.

“I am so sorry for what you had to go through,” Victor says, and he truly is. The mere thought of Yuuri giving up his freedom, his future, for the sake of his family, breaks his heart. “But let me assure you that I have no intention to take advantage of you or our marriage. I want us to be happy together, even if this marriage has begun under the most unusual circumstances. I do not know how we may achieve that, but I am certain that if we try, this marriage will be a most happy one.” He gives their intertwined hands a gentle, hopeful squeeze – and for the first time since they have gone to their marriage bed, he feels himself shiver in anticipation.

Yuuri looks stunned into silence, his beautiful brown eyes shining in awe as he takes in what Victor has said. He has expected many things in his marriage bed, on his wedding night, but certainly not to be showered in kindness and understanding by the man whose rightful property he has become.

But he knows he can trust Victor, that Victor truly is as gentle, kind, and affectionate as he appears to be, and Yuuri’s heart overflows with sheer gratitude. And so, he gives a small nod, and Victor smiles, bringing Yuuri’s hand to his lips and kissing it tenderly.

“Then I am the most happy already,” he says quietly.

Yuuri smiles shyly, and the sight sets Victor’s heart aflame.

From downstairs, they can hear the laughter of dear Minako, who is most likely enjoying a final drink in the company of Victor’s parents.

“They are waiting for us to consummate our marriage,” Yuuri whispers and looks at their joined hands, the most adorable blush on his cheeks that not even the dim light in the room can hide.

“Y-Yes,” Victor says, now his turn to blush, and his mouth suddenly feels very dry, and his body very hot. “Do you… would you like to try again?”

The tiny nod that Yuuri gives him melts his heart in an instant.

It is easier this time, they realise as they shift on the mattress to find the right position, now that they know what the other expects. Victor is still as careful as before as he climbs over Yuuri and settles between his mate’s legs, the duvet over his shoulders, and the dark giving them both at least some privacy. Yuuri’s thighs are smooth as Victor touches them, gently pushing up his nightgown to his hips.

“Is this alright?” Victor asks quietly, not wanting his husband to fear his touch, not now, not any other day. Yuuri nods, shifting a little to make it easier for him.

“You must promise to tell me if you wish for me to stop, yes?” Victor bids him, remembering all the things his father has told him, that a man must take care of his mate, make sure that they feel safe, and protected by their alpha, and not as if they are being taken advantage of.

“I promise,” Yuuri whispers as he lays back, looking up at him expectantly, and Victor cannot help but look at his mate in awe. Yuuri seems so very different now, not as shy and scared as he has appeared before. In his gaze, Victor finds warmth, and trust, and that silent gesture alone makes Victor realise that Yuuri is not afraid of him.

“Yuuri,” Victor says, his voice barely more than a whisper. “May I kiss you?”

Yuuri begins to smile, and it lights up the night. “You may.”

Victor’s heart has never beaten faster than now, as he lowers his head and touches Yuuri’s cheek, bringing their lips together for a tender kiss.

The world seems to stand still just for them.

Yuuri’s lips are soft, his touch shy and hesitant, but he is there, with him, with Victor, and gives him his warmth. After a moment, Victor pulls away, not sure if he is doing this right, if this is what Yuuri wants. What if he is taking it too far, upsetting his mate, ruining the trust they have only just found between themselves?

Yuuri lies beneath him, his face flushed and his lips parted ever so slightly, and for a moment, Victor fears that he has done it all wrong. That Yuuri has changed his mind, wants to spend this night alone, and not have him anywhere near him.

And then, Yuuri kisses him hard, and Victor lets go.

It is like a hunger, Victor thinks as he moans into Yuuri’s mouth, a hunger that he has never known before but that demands to be sated at all cost. It spreads from low in his belly through his whole body, possessing him like a divine force, guiding him as he takes Yuuri into his arms and kisses him again. And again, and again, their limbs entangled, and Yuuri is close, so close that Victor can feel his heartbeat right beside his own. No longer can Victor ignore the hardness between his legs, the desire to claim what is rightfully his and spread out before him, for only him to feast on. It is the most primal desire that there is, the desire of an alpha to claim their omega, and Victor is sure that if he were not the man that he is, he would have given in to this desire long ago. He wants Yuuri, and he is sure that Yuuri wants him, too, but he needs to know.

“Yuuri,” he breathes between kisses, barely able to stop himself from moving against him in order to satisfy his desire. “Can I—”

“Yes,” Yuuri gasps, capturing Victor’s lips again. Victor grabs Yuuri by the waist and pulls him close, so impossibly close that for a moment, neither of them can tell whose body belongs to whom. Yuuri’s leg comes around Victor’s waist out of sheer instinct, his hands are buried in Victor’s hair, refusing to let go as they chase each other’s lips with hungry kisses. If this is what it feels like to want, to desire, then Victor is sure that he has never wanted or desired before, has never wanted anyone else.

A small, pained cry escapes Yuuri’s throat as Victor enters him, the omega tight and warm around him, the feeling so overwhelming that Victor is sure he is about to lose his mind. Yuuri’s nails are digging into his shoulders, the urge to shut his legs almost overpowering. But Victor keeps him down, keeps his legs spread open as he pushes deeper into him. They have been warned, both of them, that they might not be able to control what they might feel. That an omega’s natural resistance to being claimed has to be overcome, that an alpha must gently guide his mate into submission, and that it is very, very easy, to lose control. But Victor’s mind is still his own, and so is Yuuri’s, and they hold onto each other for dear life as they become one flesh.

“C-Can I move?” Victor presses out, and Yuuri merely breathes a shaky “Yes.”

It will not take long, Victor realises the moment he begins to thrust into his husband, his _mate._ He has gone for far too long without another person’s touch, and even if he had been with anyone else, it would have never compared to this. Yuuri’s body is warm, and soft, and oh so incredibly tight around him that Victor cannot help but groan over and over again, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of Yuuri’s hips. And Yuuri, his wonderful Yuuri, holds onto him as if he were the only thing to keep him from drowning, his head thrown back and mewling louder with each thrust. To think that merely moments ago, they have barely been able to look each other in the eye.

Suddenly, Yuuri’s body begins to convulse, and before Victor can react, Yuuri lets out the smallest cry of pleasure, clenching hard around Victor, so hard that the alpha falls over the edge with him and comes with a deep, satisfied groan.

“Oh… my…” It is all that Victor manages to say as he finally rolls off Yuuri and comes to rest at his side. Yuuri is still breathing heavily, his cheeks flushed from the sudden waves of pleasure that have come over them both, and that knowledge alone makes Victor incredibly happy. He has been told that his mate might not find any pleasure in the act in the beginning, that it would be nothing more than a fulfilment of duty to them, but it is clear that this has not been the case.

Hopefully, it will never be.

“Have you liked it?” Victor asks, still a little out of breath, and takes Yuuri’s hand to kiss it. “I did not hurt you too much?”

“It is alright, I’m…” Yuuri assures him, wincing as he shifts a little on the mattress and peeks down under the duvet at the mess they have made on the towel. Victor looks down, finding it smeared with god knows what and a few traces of blood. Yuuri blushes furiously. “That… was to be expected, I think…”

“Never again,” Victor promises and kisses his hand again, and their wedding ring, too. “There shall be no pain ever again.”

For a moment, Yuuri says nothing, and Victor is afraid that he might tear up again and leave him utterly helpless. But Yuuri only sniffs, and he breaks into a smile. “I’m glad.”

Victor leans over and kisses him softly, slow, unhurried, with all the time in the world.

“Let us be the most happy,” he whispers. “You and I?”

Yuuri nods. “You and I.”

* * *

It is nine months later that Victor gets to hold their firstborn in his arms for the very first time. He looks at Yuuri, who is exhausted, and tired, and the most beautiful that he has ever been, and Victor’s heart is overflowing with love.

“I love you so,” he whispers as he leans in to press a kiss to Yuuri’s lips, and he feels Yuuri smile.

“You are my heart,” he whispers back before he settles against Victor’s side, and closes his eyes.


End file.
